Pepper cookies | Paprenjaci

Most European countries have their version of the pepper, or spice cookie. Eaten during winter, preferably with a cup of mulled wine, if Christmas had a taste, it would be this humble biscuit. Even our western gingerbread is a variant on this.

These pepper cookies are special though. For a traditional Croatian paprenjac, you need a special wooden stamp that usually comes with six traditional folk designs, three on each side, for stamping into the rolled out dough.

You can get these online or in Croatia, but keep in mind without the stamp, it's not really a paprenjac. You can also get the stamps (like mine) in Christmas motifs, prefect for the season. And if you really want a traditional Croatian Christmas, before baking, make a little hole in the top and when done, thread a piece of red ribbon through to hang off the Christmas tree!

Let me know if you tried these Croatian peppery treats and what you thought? They really are the taste of Christmas!

Dobar Tek! Zivjeli! (Bon Appetit! Cheers and let's live!)